


Two Talented Ladies

by ConvenientAlias



Category: Marco Polo (TV)
Genre: Background Het, Concubines, Exhibitionism, F/F, First Kiss, Voyeurism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-03
Updated: 2017-07-03
Packaged: 2018-11-23 00:49:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11391915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConvenientAlias/pseuds/ConvenientAlias
Summary: "Mei Lin’s eyes were wide and dark. They revealed nothing, not even an awareness that Jing Fei was looking at her. Jing Fei knew her own eyes revealed far too much. She gasped a breath.And then Mei Lin was leaning in slowly, slowly, her lips pursed. She was going to kiss Jing Fei with those lips—the intent was written all over her. She was going to touch Jing Fei with her mouth, her perfect mouth with the perfect round red dots. Jing Fei trembled."





	Two Talented Ladies

**Author's Note:**

  * For [heartfullofelves](https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartfullofelves/gifts).



For her first few months working at the Emperor’s court, Jing Fei had barely any contact with the already notorious Mei Lin. She knew about her, of course. Mei Lin was about her age, and all the concubines and even much of the court knew she was destined for greatness. Already she had slept with the Emperor and as a result was required by law to call upon him every morning. She was rumored to be one of his favorites. And apart from the Emperor, she was already very picky about who she slept with. She in addition had quarters of her own in the palace, while Jing Fei still roomed with several other concubines.

Honestly, Jing Fei believed Mei Lin deserved her good fortune. While she had not spoken to Mei Lin, she saw her around all the time. She was beautiful, pale face and taut body and bold smile. More than that, she had personality. She did not wait for men to be interested in her—no, she went to them, doubtless how she had ensnared the emperor. She would talk just enough to create the impression of a conversation, and then get down to business so the man wouldn’t think that talking was all she could do. And she was a great dancer. She sometimes would perform before groups, though she alluded more often to the dances she did in private. Her graceful dancing, tinted with just enough sexuality, created the impression that she was both untouchable and longing to be touched.

Jing Fei watched her when she could. She tried to incorporate some of her moves into her own dancing and her own seductions, but she could never quite get it right. Once again, it came down to Mei Lin’s charisma. She was far above where Jing Fei could reach.

Mei Lin also occasionally asked other concubines or talented ladies of the court to come and watch her play with her patrons. The men would enjoy having more women observe them, imagining themselves to be the draw. And for the women it was a sort of fun, really—you could watch her and imagine that having sex could be enjoyable for you as well as your patron, with how easy she made it look. Besides, Mei Lin often would ask another concubine to join her with one of the more influential patrons, which could lead to said concubine possibly becoming a new favorite. Being part of a threesome always made you look attractive.

The first time Mei Lin actually spoke to Jing Fei, Jing Fei was watching her play with a general, having come to Mei Lin’s room with a couple other talented ladies as she had on a couple other occasions. The situation had not yet progressed too far. The general was hard and Mei Lin was naked, but the general was still wearing all his clothes, and as yet Mei Lin had done little but caress his chest, pushing his hands down every time he tried to touch her, making him wait. She liked to play with her prey, always the one in charge. It was another thing Jing Fei admired about her. She hadn’t felt in charge of anything much since joining the harem, sex least of all. Mei Lin, mastering her masters, was a wonder.

She was also murmuring something silky in the man’s ear, though nothing Jing Fei could hear from this distance. And then, with no warning, she swung around to face Jing Fei and a couple other girls who were watching. She arched her eyebrows at them. If Jing Fei hadn’t already been working here for three months, she would have flushed, but she was too trained for that now. All she did was smile sweetly in response, the only thing she ever did. The other girls smiled as well, perhaps with a hint more insinuation. They were more experienced than she.

Mei Lin stood. With long, slow strides, she walked over to the group of girls, then closer and closer until she was standing directly in front of Jing Fei. They had never stood so close together before.

“Do you like her?” she asked in a loud but smooth voice. She didn’t turn towards the general, but it was clear to whom she was speaking. And the general laughed and said…well, something coarse. Jing Fei was used to that, it barely registered. But Mei Lin standing this close to her, Mei Lin talking about her, Mei Lin even looking at her—that was an oddity. Practically a miracle.

Mei Lin smiled. She had the most wickedly red spots on her lips. They glistened in a way Jing Fei could not fathom. Slowly, she lifted her hands and settled them on Jing Fei’s waist.

Jing Fei tried to catch her eye, figure out what she was supposed to do. But Mei Lin’s eyes seemed to be fasted on some spot near Jing Fei’s collarbone. Desperately, Jing Fei glanced over her shoulder at the general. He was even harder than before, and when he noticed her gaze, he smirked.

Was this supposed to be leading into a threesome? Or were they supposed to play with each other while the general watched? Or was she supposed to play with the general while Mei Lin watched? Oddly, the last option felt the safest. Mei Lin’s hands were slower and more deliberate than the hands of any man who had ever touched Jing Fei. And there was no way with Mei Lin that Jing Fei would be able to keep her composure, no way she’d be able to perform…

Mei Lin’s hands had been climbing up Jing Fei’s torso this whole time. Now, they sat comfortably on her rib cage, thumbs hooking under her breasts. The thumbs rubbed gently at the undersides of her breasts through her robes, and she tried to hold still, wanting to rub herself against them, unsure if that was what Mei Lin was going for or if this was supposed to be like a still life. Was she supposed to touch Mei Lin now? Was she supposed to undress, allow herself to be seduced? The general was pleased, maybe none of it mattered…

Only now Mei Lin had looked up. And the instant she looked at Jing Fei’s face, their eyes met. Because of course Jing Fei had been staring down at her this whole time.

Mei Lin’s eyes were wide and dark. They revealed nothing, not even an awareness that Jing Fei was looking at her. Jing Fei knew her own eyes revealed far too much. She gasped a breath.

And then Mei Lin was leaning in slowly, slowly, her lips pursed. She was going to kiss Jing Fei with those lips—the intent was written all over her. She was going to touch Jing Fei with her mouth, her perfect mouth with the perfect round red dots. Jing Fei trembled. She forced herself not to lean away. It would be good. Of course it would be good, Mei Lin was amazing. She would know what to do, and the general would like the show, and it would be normal.

But less than an inch away from Jing Fei’s lips, Mei Lin stopped. She paused for a long moment before stepping away, arms dropping to her side. Languidly she turned to the general. “What about the others?” she asked him.

And he made some sort of bland innuendo, and Mei Lin smiled at it (as if genuinely amused, as if the comment were something new and original, as if the mention of sex in a harem was unexpected) and turned to the girl standing next to Jing Fei and without hesitation began to suck on her lips and pull off her robes.

Jing Fei stood there, watching. She hadn’t been dismissed. The general might still appreciate her presence, or Mei Lin might want to use her again, no matter how fast she had dropped her now. Wet between the legs, she watched Mei Lin arch and moan, no longer so controlled, as she began to rut against the other girl’s hips. And the other girl responded with the ease of experience, bending perfectly into every advance, every touch. She was clearly aroused (how could she not be, with the way Mei Lin was touching her?) but barely moved. Practiced. Jing Fei swallowed.

She could not look away.

At last Mei Lin pulled away from the girl, still graceful. She turned to the general and said, “You may join, if you like.”

“All three of you?”

“Only this one today,” Mei Lin said. “For some pleasures, anticipation is best.” And with matching grins, she and the other girl sauntered over to opposite sides of the general and dropped to their knees.

* * *

 

One could say the experience was overall a gain for Jing Fei. Two days later the general requested that Jing Fei attend to him, by herself. He was influential. She might not become his concubine—she didn’t think her services impressed him all that much—but he might mention her to a friend. And it made her look good to the other girls, as well.

But Jing Fei could hardly care. As far as hierarchies went at court, she cared less than she should who she slept with. Most men were the same in the end, whether they were political leaders, heroes, or simply high ranked soldiers. They wanted the same things and they gave a whole lot of nothing except sometimes a little money or a small present. One could not talk to them or try to understand them as people. Or perhaps one could if one was Mei Lin. All her patrons seemed to love her, not only her body but her. She talked to them. She remembered things about them. She seemed to form relationships, even alliances. Jing Fei thought it was very clever, but ultimately she could not even imagine caring enough about a man she fucked to be that thoughtful. Perhaps that was her failing: she still saw this work as a job, not a vocation like some. It kept her alive. It was better than what she would have had at home. She lived well. But the politics were too difficult for her to navigate.

The most permanent effect of the experience for her was nothing to do with the general and everything to do with Mei Lin.

Until now, Jing Fei had been aware of Mei Lin in a careless sort of way. Admiring, yes. Perhaps even a little attracted. But now every time Mei Lin entered a room, she felt her entire body stiffening. Every time Mei Lin made an innuendo or a sexual gesture, she was aroused. This was a problem because Mei Lin made innuendoes near constantly. They were as essential to her image as her makeup.

So basically, Jing Fei went nearly out of her mind every time she saw her. In fact, only two days after the incident, Mei Lin walked into a room where Jing Fei was dancing for a pair of men (a private performance of sorts) and just stared at Jing Fei. Jing Fei froze for a second in the middle of a movement until she noticed the men waiting for her to continue. And then she refocused, but she still felt Mei Lin’s eyes on her. She tried to perform well. When she was done, Mei Lin was still there, still watching. Her gaze was not judgmental, but neither was it lustful. It scanned Jing Fei, analyzed her technique, weighed every pound of her body, found her neither desirable nor wanting but simply what she was. It was painful to feel so seen. (So naked, she might have said once, but since then she had learned that for a young concubine, being naked achieved precisely the opposite effect of being seen.)

The next day, it escalated; Mei Lin showed up as Jing Fei was about to have sex. Jing Fei was already naked and had begun to remove the man’s clothing when Mei Lin simply walked in. She stopped when she was only a foot away.

The man, who had heard of the legendary Mei Lin, gaped. He was a soldier though he had a decent rank, and not the sort Mei Lin would ever approach or serve. But Mei Lin gave him a long look before turning her critical gaze to Jing Fei.

Jing Fei said, in the most level voice she could manage, “Do you wish to join?”

Mei Lin smiled coldly. Without a word, she walked away.

The soldier laughed. “I guess I’m not good enough for the prize whore.”

Jing Fei wanted to hit him, to tell him that such disrespect towards Mei Lin was completely unacceptable. To tell him he was right, too—he wasn’t good enough at all, especially not if that was how he would talk about her. But she couldn’t help the sinking feeling that really Mei Lin had left because Jing Fei would have been her partner, and not because of the soldier’s lack of class. Who knew why she had decided to enter or examine the scene, but clearly she found either Jing Fei’s skill level or her appearance repulsive. She had invited many women into her bed and the beds of others, but apparently even kissing Jing Fei was too much.

The soldier was still waiting for an answer. And of course Jing Fei wasn’t going to say any of that.

“Mei Lin has earned the right to be choosy,” she said. “Her art is an inspiration, but only for a chosen few.” There. That wasn’t offensive to the soldier or to Mei Lin. Reaching for the man’s shoulders, she said, “I hope that you do not find me too unappealing.”

There. That did it. The man was quick to reassure her, quick to say that of course she was beautiful and he was having a good time, and grope at her butt in joking camaraderie. He was on her side again, and acting gracious. A pleased patron was for the best—although his pretended friendship made her movements stiff as she began to stroke him. He didn’t notice. Any concubine was for him a rare treat, no matter how reluctant or unskilled.

* * *

 

Two weeks later, Mei Lin requested Jing Fei to come to her room again, this time without inviting any other girls. Jing Fei wondered if she might have a chance to make up for freezing the last time she had been allowed to come. It had been a long day and she had already entertained a couple men, and usually the prospect of more sex would have been a tiresome thought, but if it meant Mei Lin forgiving whatever misstep Jing Fei had committed, she would have had sex with the entire court at once. For some reason Mei Lin’s disapproval left her gut heavy and anxious. She would not feel comfortable until it was rescinded.

So Jing Fei put on her makeup and straightened her robes and hair and headed out, prepared to use all her best moves to seduce whatever man Mei Lin was laying with. What she was not expecting was to come into Mei Lin’s quarters and find Mei Lin sitting on her bed fully dressed, clean faced, and alone.

Mei Lin nodded at her when she entered, but without smiling. Scanning Jing Fei’s body, she said, “You look good, although not very different from the other girls. Unless you stand out, you will never get anywhere, you know.”

Jing Fei bowed. “Thank you for your guidance. I fear I am not as skilled or as unique as you.”

“You don’t need to bow to me,” Mei Lin said. “Not that low.” She stood. She bowed herself, but only very slightly. “I am one of the Emperor’s concubines, but not exclusively. Not yet. So you and I are still the same.”

“You flatter me to say so.”

“Be flattered, then,” Mei Lin said. She did smile now, very slightly. It was probably the least flirtatious, least mysterious smile Jing Fei had ever seen on her face, almost awkwardly void of sexuality. She gestured for Jing Fei to sit down on the bed and then sat back down next to her. “I would like you to be flattered. You are an interesting woman. I think of all the talented ladies, you are the most honest. I am not easily fooled when it comes to innocence.”

Jing Fei held back a blush, thinking of the men she had fucked only that day. “I do not think any of us are innocent.”

“Things of the body do not matter. The body is a tool for men.” Mei Lin shrugged. “You do not have an agenda I can see, besides survival. It would please me to be friends.”

Friends with Mei Lin? Her, Jing Fei, barely initiated as a talented lady? Jing Fei could not truly believe it, but she hesitantly smiled and said, “Friendship with you would be an honor.”

“You are trembling,” Mei Lin said.

“Am I?” She tried to hold still.

“You trembled that day with the general, too,” Mei Lin said. “You are afraid of me, perhaps.”

“No. I am not afraid.”

Mei Lin said, “I know they speak of me badly. Some say I am a murderer. Others say I have a magic that allows me to bewitch men and women.” Her lip curled with distaste. She did not deny either accusation, only looked at Jing Fei and waited for a response.

Jing Fei had heard the rumors. She did not know whether they were true or false, though, or what Mei Lin expected her to say. She only repeated, “I am not afraid of you.” And it was true. Mei Lin had a huge presence, and even sitting near her affected Jing Fei in ways that were hard to describe. But it was not fear, what she felt. Only a certain heightened awareness, of Mei Lin and of herself and of the world. It was transformation.

“No?” Mei Lin said. She studied Jing Fei’s face. “No.”

Shifting closer to Jing Fei, she cupped Jing Fei’s chin in one hand. “Then perhaps you have never had sex with a woman.”

“No, I have.”

“With a woman and a man?”

“Once.” It had been in some ways a more pleasant experience than having sex with just the man—the other woman had been able to take some of the burden of pleasuring him, and she had even managed to make Jing Fei come. It wasn’t something she’d want to do regularly, but it had not been bad.

“Then why were you so frightened?” Mei Lin asked.

Jing Fei swallowed. She would look very foolish now. It was well and good for concubines to admire each other’s work or like each other, but to be interested in Mei Lin to this extent…it would look odd, and Mei Lin clearly wanted to be friends on a nonsexual level…

“Jing Fei?”

It was the first time Mei Lin had said her name.

Jing Fei said, “I was a little overcome, perhaps.”

“And you still are now?”

Jing Fei said, “I admire you greatly.”

Mei Lin stared at her. Incredulous. Then, she laughed. “So it was admiration that made you vibrate under my hands like a miniature earthquake?”

At this point, Jing Fei couldn’t help it any longer. She blushed. She only hoped the makeup helped to cover it.

And then Mei Lin, very quickly and lightly, kissed her on the lips.

Jing Fei almost fell over onto the mattress, but Mei Lin caught her back and steadied her. With a wide smile, she said, “You are very sweet.”

Jing Fei said, “I am glad you think so.”

That was the first time Mei Lin kissed Jing Fei, and the only time for a number of months. Things between them did not go very quickly—they soon became friends and spoke often, but they rarely touched each other. Mei Lin liked to make crude comments to see how Jing Fei would react, and she liked to show off her skills in front of Jing Fei or watch Jing Fei at work. But it was a long time before they kissed again. And when they did, it was Jing Fei who kissed Mei Lin, and she did not tremble, and suddenly things progressed very quickly indeed…

But on the night Mei Lin kissed Jing Fei for the first time, the two stayed up late talking about life at court and about their families and other things both small and important. And when Jing Fei left Mei Lin’s room in the early morning hours, there was talk about what must have occurred, and many of the men at court became interested in Jing Fei, wondering what Mei Lin saw in her. But what had truly transpired would always be Mei Lin and Jing Fei’s secret. And the love they shared would become the most private, most intimate love that either of them would ever know.

**Author's Note:**

> Fic was written for the prompt "Jing Fei/Mei Lin first kiss and last kiss". I kind of just did first kiss because what do you mean Jing Fei died? No way.  
> By the way I wrote about half of this as if Jing Fei and Mei Lin were in Kublai's harem before doing minimal research and realizing the Song court was (obviously) very different! Kublai had thousands of concubines in an official harem. Emperor Duzong had like thirty and was considered to be overly concerned with sensual pleasure. Concubines in the Song court tended to be more exclusive, too, and there were official ranks. But I couldn't easily find information on them so I just kind of bluffed it. If you have resources concerning concubines in China, I would love to see them because they seem interesting.  
> Anyways. Hope you enjoyed. Kudos or comments would be much appreciated!


End file.
